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*H He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her,
Ver. 1. Good. Gr. "these things, and he who possess the knowledge of the law will find her," (C.) or, "he who keeps the law, will receive her." Grabe. 1 Cor. iv. 20. H. — All who resolve to be virtuous, will have God's grace, which preventeth them, and continueth to afford them assistance. W.
*H And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
Ver. 2. Married. Lit. "from virginity." H. — Those who have been espoused in youth have the most durable love for one another. Prov. ii. 17. Mal. ii. 14. C.
* Footnote * John 4 : 10
Jesus answered and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God and who he is that saith to thee: Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.*H And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.
Ver. 5. She. Or Gr. "he shall open his mouth, (6.) he shall find joy and a crown of exultation, and shall inherit," &c. H. — Church, or assembly of the people. In both, the wise shall be heard with respect. C.
*H Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:
Ver. 9. Praise. Or Gr. "a proverb." Prov. xvii. 7. and xxvi. 7. C. — David invites even dragons to praise God, but sinners never. S. Chrys. orat. prebyt. Ps. xlix. 16. — The person who preaches will, and lives not accordingly, injures God. W.
*H For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.
Ver. 10. Wisdom. Gr. "it was not sent to him, (C.) or he was not commissioned by the Lord. For praise shall be spoken in wisdom, and the Lord will give him success."
*H Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that he hateth.
Ver. 11. She. Ignorance and vice are defects, and consequently not the work of God, but of the perversion of free-will. See Jam. i. 13. Ezec. xxxiii. 11. S. Aug. Grat. &. lib. ii. C. — Beza says, that God ordained Adam's fall, but for a good end; and decreed justly what men unjustly perform, (ref. Castel. ii.) which is refuted here, and Deut. vii. 11. &c. W.
*H God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.
Ver. 14. Counsel. Many explain this of Adam, before his fall, when he stood not in need of asking continually for God's assistance. S. Aug. correp. ii. n. 35. — But if we examine the context, it shews that man, in his present state, is declared inexcusable if he yield to sin, as he has still free-will, which may avoid it, with the grace of God, (C.) which is always ready to support us. Gr. subjoins, (v. 16.) "if thou wilt, thou shall keep the commandments, even to execute faithfully the good pleasure. (17.) He." &c. H.
*H He added his commandments and precepts.
Ver. 15. Precepts. These would never be imposed, if man were not free. C.
* Footnote * Matthew 19 : 17
Who said to him: Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.*H He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt.
Ver. 17. And fire. Or, good and evil, as the Vulg. explains it, (v. 18.) though the Gr. be silent. H. — The law written on the heart, as well as on the tables of stone, shews man his duty; and he has free-will to comply with it. Deut. xxx. 15. Jer. xxi. 8. C. — He may enjoy every advantage of life, denoted by these two elements. Lyr.
* Footnote * Jeremias 21 : 8
And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.* Footnote * Psalms 33 : 17
But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.* Footnote * Hebrews 4 : 13
Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight: but all things are naked and open to his eyes, to whom our speech is.*H He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin;
Ver. 21. Commanded. He only permitted the wickedness of Semei, (2 K. xvi. 10.) and the persecutors of his people, whose hearts are already bent on evil. S. Aug. Grat. & lib. xx.